The photograph titled “Solar Photo-Micrograph, Transverse Section Stem” was taken by William Henry Fox Talbot in 1839. It is an early example of photomicrography, which involves photographing very small subjects under magnification. In this pioneering photograph, Talbot presents a detailed transverse section of a plant stem, allowing the viewer to see the intricate patterns and structures within the stem that are typically invisible to the naked eye.
In the photograph, you can observe two images side by side, each displaying a circular cross-section of a plant stem. The left image shows a dark-sectioned pattern on a lighter background, while the right image shows a lighter pattern against a darker background. This suggests that one may be a negative and the other a positive of the same subject. The radial symmetry and concentric circles indicate the internal structure and growth rings of the plant stem, showcasing the specimen’s biology and texture in a scientific and aesthetically pleasing manner.
